U.N. rights body condemns Syria, extends mandate

Sept. 28 - UN human rights council extends mandate of its investigation into war crimes in Syria by another six months. Sarah Sheffer reports.

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The United Nations Human Rights Council voted on Friday to extend the mandate of its investigation into war crimes in Syria by another six months.
(SOUNDBITE )(English) U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL, EILEEN CHAMBERLAIN DONAHOE, SAYING:
"Assad continues to cling to power and his campaign of brutality has sparked a deepening humanitarian crisis. We cannot afford to be silent. The resolution put forward today strengthens support for the work of the Commission of Inquiry, instituted by this council more than a year ago."
Syria's UN ambassador Faysal Khabbaz Hamoui rejected the text as "highly-politicised and selective" and accused Islamic "terrorists" of fuelling the violence in his country.
The 47-member body adopted the resolution by a vote of 41 states in favour, with three states - China, Cuba and Russia - against and three abstentions.
Since it was set up a year ago, the independent inquiry has interviewed more than 1,100 victims, refugees and defectors but has been denied access to Syria.

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